


Maintenance Affairs

by Artemis1000



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Community: tfa_kink, Crack, Finnlo Appreciation Week, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-15
Updated: 2016-11-18
Packaged: 2018-08-08 22:51:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7776784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis1000/pseuds/Artemis1000
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>That one time FN-2187 made friends (and more) with a geeky radar technician…</p><p>Ignorance is bliss, but when “Matt’s” undercover stint comes to an end, it will be time for some real talk with real folks. Until then, have fun making out in the supplies closet, FN-2187.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Day 1 of Finnlo Appreciation Week on Tumblr: pre-TFA
> 
> This is a fill for this wonderful [prompt](https://tfa-kink.dreamwidth.org/2821.html?thread=4233477#cmt4233477) on the TFA Kink Meme:  
>  _While Kylo Ren is under as Matt the Radar Technician, the only one that's genuinely nice to him is Finn/FN-2187. Finn is totally oblivious to Matt actually being Kylo Ren despite how obvious Kylo Ren is about it. They both get pretty close (kissing, mutual hand-jobs, and/or oral.) Then, after Kylo's stint as Matt he still has feelings for Finn._
> 
>  
> 
> _This could be pure crack, funny, cute or sexy or all of the above!_

_This wasn’t to say that FN-2187 had fallen in love at first sight, but…_

Sanitation sucked, ’87 decided as he lugged a trash bag that was nearly his own size down one of the endless, depressingly identic corridors. It wasn’t really a surprise, the greenhorns being given the most awful jobs, that’s how it went everywhere, but it sucked anyway. And he had no idea how he was even going to fit this bag into the trash compactor chute.

He couldn’t see what was happening further down the hallway, the trash bag blocked his view, but there was an indignant, “hey!” and the sound of something metallic being kicked and skittering away, then cruel laughter.

“Oh look, it’s Phasma’s pet, taking out the trash,” the one who had been laughing the loudest sniped. A moment later ‘87’s giant bag was jostled and ended up on the floor, revealing three snickering Stormtroopers and a gleeful junior officer.

If it had been just the Stormtroopers ’87 might have said something, after all he _was_ the leader of his fire squad, but he couldn’t get in trouble with an officer. Captain Phasma had been having a far too close eye on him ever since she learned of him watching out for Slip.

So he waited until they were gone, and unhappily surveyed the spilled contents of the bag.

A blond man in a grey overall and orange vest approached him, looking very stressed and just all around unhappy with everything. “They kicked my hydrospanner away, and I think it got buried by your trash!” he snapped, all indignantly disgruntled as if ’87 had dropped the trash just to spite him.

’87 gave him a sympathetic look. “You’re new to being hazed, huh?”

_His name was Matt, and he was a Radar Technician._

_Matt had to be the most hapless person FN-2187 had ever met, and ‘87’s best friend was FN-they-are-coming-at-you-from-the-right-no-your-other-right-2003._

_’87 found it a bit painful to watch how desperately Matt tried to fit in, yet was shunned by everyone. It reminded him far too much of his own situation, though for the life of him he couldn’t say why people avoided Matt. It wasn’t like he was the star pupil, more like the exact opposite._

“He’s great,” he told Slip one night when they were sitting on the bottom bunk bed chatting before lights out. “I don’t get why nobody likes him. Sure, he’s clumsy, and he can work himself into a rage over the weirdest things, especially when people say bad things about Kylo Ren, but…”

“Well, I would too, if people insulted me to my face. Or my not-face.”

’87 blinked at him. “But they’re not even insulting _him_. He gets most mad when they’re being rude about _Kylo Ren_.” ’87 sighed despondently. “I think he’s got a crush on him.”

“But…” Slip looked confused, then hesitant, and shrugged. “Yeah, sure, you’re right.”

 _Much to ‘87’s dismay, Matt kept talking about how ripped Kylo Ren was, though ’87 had no clue how he could know that. He tried hard not to think about how Matt could know that, he was jealous enough that Matt never talked about how ripped_ he _was._

FN-2187 had resigned himself to being invisible to Matt in _that_ way when his friend offered to help him search for some cleaning supplies, and it was all going well even with the supplies room being so tiny they were all but pressed against another as they searched the shelves.

Then the door shut, though it never did that on its own, ’87 had been in dozens of such closet-like rooms and that just didn’t happen, you had to push the button, but they couldn’t have bumped into it since the door opener in the room was currently bro…

He gaped at Matt in mute horror – he’d taken off the helmet and dumped it on a shelf before they began their search. “The door opener’s broken. We’re stuck.” He groaned. “That was the first thing we learned - don’t ever get locked in anywhere.” ‘87 gulped. “At least we’ve got light, that works by motion sensor.”

Sanitation duty had been the punishment for his inappropriate mercy, but if he kept being so clumsy it would be well-deserved.

Matt pushed up his glasses, he was looking annoyed again, but also oddly determined. “Look,” he said tersely, “stop focusing on the door and…” He snapped his mouth shut. He looked very tense and pale, and maybe a little like he was about to be sick from sheer nerves.

FN-2187 thought it was kind of silly to get panicky over being locked into a supplies room, but Matt got weird about the funniest things, so he shouldn’t be surprised. “Let me just comm Slip and he’ll get us.. Hmpf!”

Lips pressed against his own silenced him.

Maybe locking themselves in had been the smartest thing they ever did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed! There'll be more, and I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, but I didn't start writing until the scheduled day of posting, so... Here's me, trying to be not too fashionably late with my contribution!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt vanishes, and FN-2187 gains a new shadow.
> 
> Slip still knows more than he lets on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I said this would be a two chapter fic. That's what I said. I had _plans_. Then I realized Kylo Ren is too much of an idiot to do the sensible thing when he could do the pointlessly melodramatic (and just plain pointless) thing instead.
> 
> So here we are. Chapter 2/3 (you better stop with the foolishness in chapter 3, Kylo.)

There had been some kind of incident involving Matt in the break room, something nobody would talk about but they all looked deeply traumatized, and nobody could tell him where Matt had gotten off to.

When he was unable to find his boyfriend for two days, FN-2187 was Officially Worried.

Another three days later he had yet another reason to be worried, for a meeting had been scheduled for him, no names or explanation given.

He couldn’t help fretting that his romance had been leaked, and this was why Matt had disappeared. ’87 didn’t know if techs got sent to reconditioning, too, he sure hoped not. Whoever came back from reconditioning wouldn’t be the man he had fallen in love with.

And he had fallen hard for Matt; sweet, clumsy Matt with his temper and social awkwardness. And if some things about him seemed off, or if Matt told him barely anything about himself, well, nobody was perfect. FN-2187 knew that you shouldn’t ask too many questions in the First Order.

Much to ‘87’s horror, what awaited him in conference room 21-B was the masked face of Kylo Ren.

His steps slowed as his legs turned to jelly. “I didn’t do anything!” he blurted out, and then, “I don’t want to go to reconditioning!”

It was about Matt. It had to be about Matt.

Stormtroopers weren’t supposed to fall in love. But they had been so careful!

Kylo Ren stood there by the end of the table, perfectly still. The only noise he made was his heavy breathing.

‘87’s own breathing slowed when no immediate terrible fate befell him. “Sir?” he asked tentatively once the silence became too much for him.

“You are frightened of me.”

Frightened? Try terrified! “I’m sorry, sir?”

“You fear me.”

’87 felt sweat bead on his forehead beneath his helmet. Ren was aiming for something, but for the life of him ’87 couldn’t figure out what he wanted. “I could try not to? If you like, sir?”

Ren made a growling noise that reminded ’87 more of something you would expect from an angry rahthar than a human being.

Somehow he managed not to squeak.

“Leave!” And then a moment later even louder, “leave!” The hand going for the lightsaber left no doubt as for the _or else_.

FN-2187 ran.

The last thing he heard from the conference room were sounds of destruction.

 

Matt didn’t return.

But FN-2187 got the distinct feeling of being watched. Sometimes when he looked quickly, he could catch a glimpse at black robes.

“Tell me I’m stupid, and that Kylo Ren isn’t stalking me,” he moaned to Slip one day while they were checking a clogged trash compactor. They were wading knee-high in unspeakable things, but at least he felt reasonable sure that Kylo Ren wouldn’t be caught dead in this muck.

Slip might have been wearing a helmet, but ’87 could _feel_ his incredulous gaze. “You’re stupid, and Kylo Ren isn’t stalking you,” he parroted dutifully.

’87 groaned. “You didn’t even try to sound convincing!”

“Hey! I’m very convinced of one of these things.”

He rolled his eyes, not that Slip could see, and tugged harder at a piece of metal that had gotten jammed. “You’re a riot.”

 

A week later, FN-2187 was absolutely and utterly convinced that Kylo Ren was stalking him.

He was also utterly clueless what he could do about it.

He had thought about asking Captain Phasma for help, but then he would have to confess the full story with Matt, and she would send him to reconditioning for sure.

In the end he chose to talk.

When he was alone-but-not-alone he would talk to the room at large. Yes, he felt silly for it, but it helped his twitchiness, and he wanted to believe that the gloomy presence watching him turned a little bit less hostile when he talked.

At first he explained what he was doing, but after a couple of days he was talking about whatever came to mind. He would complain about his training schedule or about his squad, or the awful food.

He got caught a couple of times, but he was already an outcast for being at the top of his class, it wasn’t like being deemed a weirdo for talking to himself could make it worse.

After a while, the presence didn’t feel hostile anymore.

FN-2187 still wished Kylo Ren would stop stalking him, but it was the most companionship he had gotten since Matt vanished, so he was grateful for it in some odd way.

The one thing he most yearned to speak of, ’87 didn’t dare mention.

The hole in his heart should be closing, they’d had so little time together that he shouldn’t have grown attached, but he had. It wasn’t getting better.

It had been weeks and he still yearned for Matt, still discreetly asked around for him though he had lost all hope of getting answers.

It hadn’t just been making out in supplies closets – as fun as that had been, and it had been very fun indeed. After their first nervous kiss they had been unable to keep their hands to themselves. Despite his shyness, Matt had been eager to try everything. In hindsight, ’87 could read in it the desperation of a man who knew they didn’t have much time, but when they were together he had just been delightfully overwhelmed.

What ’87 missed most keenly was his companionship. Having someone who listened to him and genuinely enjoyed it, the gruff support of his boyfriend telling him that _of course_ he would make officer in no time or his clumsy attempts at cheering him up when ’87 felt particularly lonely among his fellow troopers. Matt was more prone to grumbling than laughing, and his jokes were awful, but he made ’87 smile just by being himself, and being there.

He had never known how lonely he was until he wasn’t alone anymore, and now ’87 felt this loneliness more keenly than ever.

And he was still worried that Matt had been sent to reconditioning, even if that struck him as less likely by now. The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that Matt had known how little time they would have, but he hadn’t been scared, just wistful.

The puzzle pieces were falling into place, and all were pointing towards Matt being a plant. There were plants everywhere, both actual troops spying on their comrades and undercover intelligence officers. Techs were always under particular scrutiny since they didn’t go through the same lifelong conditioning as the soldiers, yet had the best access to sensitive equipment. It wouldn’t even be a bad thing, Matt being an infiltrator. ‘87 just wished he would get back in touch and tell him what they had had been more than a convenient cover.

FN-2187 wanted his boyfriend back, but what he got was Kylo Ren, who was _still_ stalking him.

If Slip gave him just one more knowing, amused look when ’87 complained about it, their squad would be short one trooper!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finn IS the brightest cadet, so I wanted him to catch on, but without figuring out the full story (which, in his defence, is a very bizarre conclusion to jump to, and frightening to boot. He'd rather not consider he's been smooching Darth Tantrum all along, thank you very much!)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FN-2187 is tired of Kylo Ren watching him, while Matt remains gone without a trace. Something's got to give.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it took me so long to finish this story! I just couldn't wrangle chapter three into submission, it was an epic battle. But here we are, by November my summer project is finally finished!

Something had to give, ‘87 decided when several weeks later, Kylo Ren still kept stalking him.

He didn’t even bother to be subtle anymore, ’87 mused, watching Ren lounge against the wall and watch him while ’87 did routine maintenance on one of the waste processors. They chatted pretty easily these days, and yes he was enjoying himself, but the entire affair was getting ridiculous.

’87 dropped the spanner and turned around to face Kylo Ren. He took off his helmet and tried to look into Ren’s eyes as well as he could.

Ren had never taken off his helmet for him, and that was weird, too, when he let himself think about it. Ren had become a dear and close friend, and probably the person he confided most in these days, yet ‘87 had no idea what he looked like. Was he white or black, or not even human? Was he an old or a young man? A man at all?

All he knew was that Kylo Ren made his days better with his quiet, sullen companionship.

“I’ve been wondering for a while and there is no good way to ask this, but what are we?” He threw his hands into the air in exasperation. “We act like we’re friends but it’s not really how friendship works, is it? Am I a diversion to you or a toy or am I… I don’t even know.”

It couldn’t be a proper friendship, for friendships were between equals and Ren had all the power here.

Ren remained silent and frozen, but something told ’87 that he wasn’t ignoring him. Rather, his body language betrayed that he was frozen in fear.

’87 approached him very slowly, the way you would approach a skittish, but very dangerous animal. “I just want to know,” he beseeched, “I want us to be real friends.”

Kylo Ren remained silent and frozen, and whatever bravado had gotten ’87 to go through with demanding answers trickled through his fingers. He had only so much of it, after all, he wasn’t good about stepping out of line unless it was about something truly important to him. He couldn’t even pinpoint when exactly Ren had made it on the list of important things.

Maybe it was just that there was something about his clumsy awkwardness which reminded him of Matt. But, no, it wasn’t so easy.

“Close your eyes.” Ren’s vocalizer didn’t permit for much emotion, but he sounded nervous. Frightened, even.

’87 obeyed. His heart sped up with nervousness when he heard the hiss of the helmet coming off. Then there was breathing as heavy as his own. Gloved fingers brushed against his cheek. And a moment later, there were suddenly full lips brushing against his.

His heart skittered and _squeezed_. This kiss shouldn’t feel familiar, but it did, it felt exactly like being sent months back to stolen kisses in storage rooms…

…and ’87 stepped back, a hand flying up to cover his lips while his eyes opened wide. “I can’t!” he blurted out, before he even registered the face he was now looking at for the first time.

A pale face with dark eyes and full lips, the large nose and…

He shook his head. “No.”

Suddenly it all fell into place. All the hints and quips and incredulous looks, everyone had known, hadn’t they? Even Slip had figured it out before him.

But he hadn’t wanted to read between the lines, he hadn’t _wanted_ to see.

“I told you to keep your eyes closed!” Ren snapped.

’87 shook his head again. That was Matt’s voice. He had that exact same pitch when he was angry and afraid all at once. “No. No, you can’t have…”

He couldn’t have been playing with him all along. Why would he even? FN-2187 was just one Stormtrooper among many, he should have been safe from such games!

FN-2187 made a mad dash for his helmet and then for the door. Through the tears swimming in his eyes he could barely even see where he was going.

Kylo Ren didn’t try to stop him.

 

His shadow had vanished.

’87 was grateful for the reprieve, as he could barely hold himself together through the routine of his Stormtrooper duties.

Days of nothing but heartache passed until ’87 could truly look at what had happened. It was only then that he felt capable to push aside his feelings, and put his analytical mind to use deciphering the happenings. Once he wasn’t focused anymore on his own hurt he could think back, and recall hurt on Kylo Ren’s face when ’87 looked at him in horror. He thought of how desperate Matt had been to make the best of every moment they had together, and recalled how Matt would evade questions if he could, avoiding what ’87 now knew would have been outright lies.

It didn’t change the hurt, nor did it change the fact that he was furious with Matt, Kylo, whatever name he wanted to go by now. Whether intentional or not, he had toyed with ‘87’s feelings.

All that mulling and musing didn’t answer the most important question: what he wanted to do about Kylo now that he knew the truth.

Ironically, the choice was made for him in a corridor not unlike the one they had first met in. Ironically, ’87 was once again carrying a huge bag of trash, but Kylo Ren was clad in ominous black.

He came to a sudden stop, not even thinking that Kylo might not recognize him in his uniform.

Ren seemed just as shell-shocked.

He tried to stifle a pained sound, but it was only half successful. “Matt…”

He was grabbed by his arm and hauled into a tiny, cramped supply room just like the one where Matt had kissed him for the first time. ’87 wanted to scream.

Kylo tore off his helmet. Deep circles under his eyes spoke of sleepless nights. “You have to…,” he began, at the same time as ’87 demanded, “what are you…”

They both fell silent. ’87 took off his helmet as well, and then they kept busy avoiding another’s eyes and holding on to their helmets as if they were life lines.

“I never wanted to lie to you,” Kylo said quietly. “I _know_ I did.” And there was the angry frustration again, that was more like him than this pathetic whimper of a voice. “I know I lied and,” he gulped, “hurt you. But I never meant to. I didn’t expect someone like you when I became Matt, and then I didn’t know how to get out of the lie I had created. You never said a single nice thing about Kylo Ren, and you’d hate me even more for having lied to you.” He dropped the helmet and grabbed ‘87’s hands. “Look at me when I’m talking to you!” he barked. When ’87 obeyed he realized that Ren looked angry, but even more than that he looked desperate. “I tried to tell you the truth.”

“That day you called me into the conference room,” he interjected. His voice wobbled only slightly, he was proud of that. “You were going to tell me that day. I figured it out… well, I assumed as much when I spent the last couple of days going through our every interaction.” Kylo nodded jerkily. He still looked like he was going to get sick. “Why didn’t you?”

It was Ren who turned away from him. “You were frightened of me.”

“Terrified.” Anything else would have been a lie, and there had been enough lies.

But this was still Matt. Who had, in his own clumsy way, tried to regain what they had lost. Who had given him half a dozen heart attacks by stalking him but also chased away the loneliness when ’87 needed a friend more than ever before. Who had, all along, missed him just as much as ’87 had.

’87 could hear his heartbeat echo in his ears as he crossed the distance between them. He snaked his arms around Kylo’s waist and rested his cheek against his shoulder. “Please don’t do that ever again.”

Kylo’s laugh sounded choked. “What? Dye my hair an awful shade of blond?”

They were both laughing for real by the time Kylo turned around. It was Finn who yanked at Kylo’s now-black hair and pulled him into a kiss.

It was Kylo who flicked the switch by the door to _locked_.

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this story, and I'd like to thank everyone who supported me with kudos and comments!


End file.
